** Bob Woolmer arranges for prayer room, halal food**
JAIPUR: As a part of his meticulous 2007 World Cup planning, Pakistan cricket team’s coach Bob Woolmer has already identified a place for prayers for players and arranged for halal meat in the West Indies.
Pakistan will stay and play their three Pool D league matches at the Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, during the 16-nation showpiece in March-April, 2007.
Woolmer identified the mosque and arranged for ‘halal’ meat, during his visit to the West Indies to attend a managers’ meeting in Barbados last month.
“I was fortunate to go to the managers’ meeting and I could see all the plans and preparations,” Woolmer said. “We got (plans for) ‘halal’ food and prayer rooms; we worked out all things we need (during the visit).”
Woolmer was the only coach — others were all managers — from the 10 Test-playing nations to attend the meeting, while India was the only country that did not send anyone to the meeting.
Woolmer said since time would be short during the World Cup, he went there to help arrange things that would help the (Pakistan) players concentrate only on their game. “It’s important to try and get environment right for the players. That was useful for us to go over there,” he stated.
He was keen to have arrangement for collective prayers also made in the hotels during the World Cup. “The prayer room will be within the (Pakistan) team hotel.”
“In a one-day game you don’t have much (free) time; only 45 minutes (interval) really. The guys also pray separately when they want to,” the coach said.
Assuming Pakistan top their group, also comprising the West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland, they will move to Guyana where they will be based for 16 days to play three Super Eight matches at the Providence Stadium.
Meanwhile, Pakistan team left Jaipur for Mohali on Thursday morning to play against New Zealand in a Group B match on October 25.
Source: http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=29028